New York to California: residential contractor license reciprocity

How it works in New York. There is no state license, no state application and no state exam for residential contractors. A contractor must be licensed in every jurisdiction where the work is performed, and the licenses are not interchangeable — a Nassau County license does not authorize work in Suffolk, and a Westchester County license does not by itself authorize work in Yonkers. Almost every program licenses the business and requires one named owner, officer, principal or member to stand behind it, so budget for one application per county or city rather than one per person. Nothing in these programs is a state-to-state agreement, and none of them waives anything because of a license held in another state.

New York City — the one that matters most. The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Home Improvement Contractor license is the single most consequential residential credential in the state: "A person or business must have a Home Improvement Contractor license to do construction, repair, remodeling, or other home improvement work to any residential land or building in New York City", including basements, driveways, fences, garages, landscaping, patios and swimming pools. One person — the sole proprietor, a general partner, a corporate officer, principal, director, member, or a shareholder owning 10% or more of the stock — must pass the Home Improvement Exam: 30 questions, at least 21 correct to pass, booked with ExamBuilder and sat at test centers open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. seven days a week across the city, within 60 days of filing. The exam is included in the application fee for up to two attempts, and $50 buys two more. The applicant must either enroll in the Home Improvement Business Trust Fund for $200 or post a $20,000 surety bond, and must file a workers' compensation certificate naming DCWP at 42 Broadway, New York, NY 10004, or a CE-200 exemption. The license runs two years and expires on February 28 of odd years, so the fee is pro-rated by filing date: $200 from 1 March to 31 August of an odd year, $150 from 1 September of an odd year to the end of February, $100 from 1 March to 31 August of an even year, and $50 or $250 from 1 September of an even year depending on the term chosen. There is no experience requirement and no requirement that the business already be in New York.

Nassau County. The Department of Consumer Affairs runs the most demanding program in the state and the one that most rewards an out-of-state license. One owner, officer or principal "must have at least 5 years of recent, relevant verifiable experience in the home improvement field", proved by "five years of W2's, 1099's, or a license in another municipality". A new two-year license is $650, plus a separate one-time $50 payment into the Restitution Fund, $110 for each additional location and $60 to replace a lost license; every applicant also submits to a one-time fingerprint-based background check costing about $90. Liability insurance must show bodily injury limits of $250,000/$500,000 and property damage of $100,000 with the department at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola as certificate holder. At least one principal needs EPA RRP lead-safety certification where lead paint may be disturbed; irrigation work needs a New York backflow tester certification; pool and spa work needs five years' experience plus a CBP, CST, CSP or CMS certification. Out-of-state businesses face an extra hurdle: "you must provide a Certificate of Authority to do business in NY State, have a NY State location, as well as an authorized contact person that has a NYS residence." A judgment and open-complaint search is run on every principal, and all subcontractors except plumbers and electricians must hold their own Nassau license. There is no written exam. (516) 571-2600.

Suffolk County. Licensing sits with the Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs under Chapter 563 of the county code, and home improvement licenses are more than half of everything the county issues. "Home improvement contracting" is defined broadly — carpentry, fencing, driveways, flooring, HVAC ductwork, masonry, roofing, siding, pools and spas, waterproofing, landscaping and tree work — but it expressly excludes electrical and plumbing work and "the construction of a new home". The fee is a $200 application fee plus $200 per annum for the license itself, the term is two years, and each salesperson needs a $50-per-year identification card. The Director may require a surety bond "in an amount to be set by the Director, but in no event to exceed $100,000" and sets the liability insurance figure. There is no general trade exam, but pool and spa builders need an APSP Certified Building Professional certification plus two years' experience, pool and spa service contractors need a CST, CSP or CBP plus two years, and renewing pool contractors need six hours of continuing education. (631) 853-4600.

Westchester County. "Westchester law requires that home improvement contractors have a county license." The fee is $750 for the two-year term as of January 1, 2026, with $100 for expedited handling, $50 for late renewal, $10 per vehicle decal and $50 for a replacement certificate. Processing normally takes about 60 business days, or seven business days if expedited. The packet is documentary rather than examined: notarized application, proof of business name from wherever the company is based, liability insurance naming the department at 148 Martine Avenue, Room 407, White Plains as certificate holder, workers' compensation and disability certificates (or a CE-200), photo ID for every owner, officer, member, partner, manager and salesperson, and a notarized child support certification from sole proprietors and partners. The application asks directly whether the company is "licensed in any other jurisdiction" and for those license numbers. A bond or cash security of up to $50,000 may be required at the Director's discretion, at application or later. The county law does not apply to plumbing, electrical or architectural work, to work within a state-licensed occupation, or to "the construction of a new home building". The cover letter warns that "the CITY OF YONKERS has additional licensing requirements". (914) 995-2155.

Yonkers. Inside Westchester County, Yonkers licenses separately through its Consumer Protection Bureau, and a contractor renovating existing one- to three-family dwellings in the city needs both. The Yonkers Home Improvement License costs $400, is non-refundable, runs two years and is not transferable. The packet requires a notarized application signed by an owner, partner or officer, vehicle registrations with automobile insurance (bumper stickers are issued for three vehicles, $10 for each additional one, and at least one vehicle must be listed), a DMV driver's license or non-driver ID, a $500,000 general contractor liability certificate naming the Office of Licensing/Consumer Protection, a workers' compensation certificate or CE-200, proof of business name, a NYS Certificate of Authority if the company charges sales tax, and a completed Work History Form. A background check is run on both the applicant and the business. Vehicles must display the business name, address and phone in eight-inch permanent letters or on a 2x3 foot sign. 914-377-6808.

Rockland County. Chapter 286 of the Laws of Rockland County requires everyone performing home improvement work in the county to hold a county Home Improvement License, issued by the Department of Consumer Protection / Weights and Measures. Rockland is unusually explicit about out-of-jurisdiction applicants: its applications are grouped by qualification route, one for applicants relying on experience in the trade classification, one for applicants who have held a license in another jurisdiction for at least five years without complaints or violations, and one for applicants posting a surety bond for the classification. A Home Improvement Licensing Board of trade members reviews credentials and investigates complaints, contractors must carry liability, workers' compensation and disability insurance, and general contractors must use licensed and insured subcontractors. Confirm the current fee and classification list with the department before filing: 845-364-3901.

Putnam County. The Office of Consumer Affairs registers home improvement contractors for $300, covering a two-year registration, and requires a $25,000 license and permit bond written for a two-year period, with the registration's expiration set to match the bond term. Also required: a certified business, partnership or corporate filing document, an ACORD liability certificate naming Putnam County Consumer Affairs as certificate holder and Putnam County as additionally insured with the scope of work spelled out, a workers' compensation form or CE-200, a notarized child support form for non-corporations, current vehicle registrations, a photo of the owner or highest-ranking officer, a driver's license from the applicant's home state, and — again a break for someone arriving with credentials — "copies of CURRENT HOME IMPROVEMENT LICENSES - if held in other municipalities". Decals come with the registration, extras are $5 each. Landscaping and lawn care contractors add a Lawn Care Best Management Practices certificate. 845-808-1617 ext. 46024.

Buffalo. Chapter 144 of the City of Buffalo Ordinances requires anyone "engaged in a home improvement business (i.e. painting, siding, roofing) or doing construction work in the City of Buffalo" to hold a city Contractor License, which "does not allow for plumbing, heating, cooling or electrical work". Working without one is an unclassified misdemeanor carrying up to $1,000 or 60 days. Residential categories are Handyman Contractor (minor repairs and maintenance, one named person, no roofing, siding or large renovations), Specialty Contractor, Sub-Contractor (cannot pull permits and must work under a prime) and New Housing Contractor. Minimum general liability aggregates are $50,000 for Handyman and Construction Manager, $500,000 for Light Commercial, Specialty, Subcontractor and New Housing, and $2,000,000 for General Contractor and every demolition grade. Applicants also file workers' compensation proof (C105.2, U-26.3, SI-12 or GSI-105.2) or a CE-200 that bars using subcontractors, register the business name with the Erie County Clerk even if it is registered elsewhere, and supply RRP or EPA lead firm certification unless exempt. The step that surprises people: the application must arrive at least seven days before the monthly Construction & Home Improvement Advisory Board meeting and "attendance at the meeting is mandatory for the applicant", in person or through a notarized representative. Ask the Office of Licenses for the current fee, which is not printed on the application packet: (716) 851-6583.

Rochester. Rochester licenses electricians, plumbers and stationary engineers / refrigeration operators and nothing else — there is no city home improvement or builder license. The city puts the duty on whoever pulls the permit: it is "the applicant's responsibility to ensure all required contractors are licensed, proof of insurance is filed and the project complies with the permit". Building Permit Office 585-428-6526.

Everywhere else. Outside these jurisdictions, hundreds of New York towns and villages regulate residential work only through the building permit and the state's Uniform Code, while others have their own contractor registration ordinances. Before signing anything, ask the county consumer affairs office and the town or village building department that covers the job site, and remember that General Business Law Article 36-A's written-contract and escrow rules apply everywhere in the state whether or not a license is required.